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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili

Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili

By Taesha Butler September 13, 2018 (Updated February 28, 2022) 16 Comments

Servings6 servings
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time27 mins
Jump to Recipe
5 from 7 votes

This Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili is packed with flavor! Pumpkin, spices, vegetables and meat combine to make a hearty and satisfying meal. Gluten free, dairy-free and sure to be a hit with the family!

Jump to Recipe
A bowl of Instant pot paleo pumpkin chili topped with cilantro. There is a spoon in the bowl and a paleo muffin next to it.

Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili

It’s September. And even though it is still 80-something degrees here in Southern California, pumpkins are taking over the world.

Okay, not literally. There are no jack-o-lantern monsters walking the streets of San Diego (don’t want to scare off the tourists), but I feel like when September 1 hit, pumpkin mania ensued!

Out with the margaritas! And in with the pumpkin spice lattes! Halloween decorations are hanging in all of the stores and the aisles of Michael’s and smells constantly like a freshly baked pumpkin pie straight from the oven.

Hot or not, people have decided it is fall and it is time for pumpkin everything. And I cast no stones….because I am right there with them.

I love pumpkin stuff. Pumpkin muffins. Pumpkin souffles. Pumpkin oatmeal. You name it. Put some pumpkin in it and I’ll be seeing all the heart eyes.

A 4 step image of how to make Instant Pot paleo pumpkin chili. The first image shows browning the ground meat. The next image shows the addition of vegetables to the instant pot. Third image is the addition of pumpkin puree and tomatoes.  The 4th image shows the chili after it has been cooked.

But, I feel like the savory side of pumpkin often gets overlooked. Pumpkins are magical for making sweet fall treats, but they also bring a lovely flavor to to savory dishes (try my Savory Pumpkin Soup). I love adding pumpkin puree to soups, meatloaf, meatballs and now chili!

Chili is totally a fall staple and this Paleo Pumpkin Chili is going to takeover your dinner menu this season. Full of wonderful flavors and using many traditional chili ingredients, I skipped the beans in this recipe and traded them in for extra veggies! And since I am all about easy peasy real food, I created it specifically for my Instant Pot (aka my kitchen sanity saver) so that I could make it any night of the week, even if I didn’t have a lot of time to pull dinner together!

Suggested Adaptations

1. Make this chili as spicy or mild as you like! Since I was serving this to my whole family, I opted for a more mild flavor! To amp up the heat, add 1-2 chopped jalapenos to the Instant Pot before cooking or add an extra teaspoon of chili powder!

2. No Instant Pot? That’s okay! Make it in your slow cooker! Brown the meat in a skillet and then add all of the ingredients into your slow cooker with an extra 1 1/2 cups of broth or water and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours!

Other pumpkin recipes you will love…

  • Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bread
  • Breakfast Pumpkin Soufflé
  • Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding
  • Healthy Carrot Pumpkin Muffins
  • Pumpkin Almond Butter Cookies
  • Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
A bowl of instant pot paleo pumpkin chili topped with chopped cilantro. There is a spoon in the bowl.
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili

This Instant Pot Paleo Pumpkin Chili is packed with flavor! Pumpkin, spices, vegetables and meat combine to make a hearty and satisfying meal. Gluten free, dairy-free and sure to be a hit with the family!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time27 mins
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot chili, paleo chili, veggie-loaded chili, whole30 chili
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 219kcal
Author: Taesha Butler

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 pound ground chicken, turkey or beef
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes, with liquid or about 1 3/4 cup diced fresh tomatoes
  • 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree or about 1 1/2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder or to taste (I made mine relatively mild)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • 1/2 cup broth or water
  • fresh cilantro and avocado for garnish, if desired

Instructions 

  • Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting and add oil to the pot.
  • Once the oil is hot, crumble the meat into the Instant Pot. Brown for a minute or two until the meat is mostly browned, but still slightly pink. Scoop the meat out of the pot and set aside.
  • Next, add the garlic, onion, bell pepper and carrots to the Instant Pot. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, chili powder paprika, and cumin.
  • Next, add broth or water. Stir it into the veggie mixture, being sure to scrape up the spices and veggies that may have cooked to the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the tomatoes, pumpkin puree and cooked meat. Stir to mix everything together.
  • Turn off the saute function. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock in place and turn the valve to seal. Select the manual setting and set to cook on HIGH pressure, and set time for 17 minutes. It will typically take your Instant Pot about 10 minutes to get up to pressure.
  • When the chili is finished cooking, quick release pressure, carefully.
  • Taste and add more chili, salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Enjoy warm, garnished with avocado or cilantro, if desired.

Notes

Nutritional information calculated using ground chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 851mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 15724IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!

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Filed Under: Dairy-Free, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Grain Free, Instant Pot, Paleo, Soups, Whole30 Tagged With: carrot, squash

Previous Post: « 5-Minute Zucchini Avocado Smoothie (Dairy-Free)
Next Post: Golden Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes {nut-free} »

Reader Interactions

    Leave a comment & rate this recipe Cancel reply

    Did you make this recipe? So good, right? It would mean the world to me if you left a comment and star rating so that more people can see how delicious veggie-loading can be. Plus, it helps me to see what recipes you are all loving so I can make more like them.

    Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback.

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    Comments

  1. Cheryl Tortorella

    November 8, 2019 at 12:23 am

    Great for a hearty fall recipe. I like this with some avo on the top or even a little shredded cheese. Delicious!!

    Reply
  2. Carol

    October 22, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    One of our family’s favorite fall recipes!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      October 22, 2020 at 5:26 pm

      Our’s too! We have it on rotation through February!

      Reply
  3. Jessie Root

    October 22, 2020 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    This chili is SOOOO warm and cozy! I love all the fall flavors and how easy and adaptable it is too!

    Reply
  4. Carly

    November 2, 2020 at 3:03 am

    This was delish! I used a vegan meat, added kidney beans and fresh pumpkin. We loved it THank you

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 2, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed it Carly! Love the swaps and additions!

      Reply
  5. Olivia

    November 12, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious and easy to make. We love that it is a tasty bean alternative chili, which is easier on everyone’s stomach than a traditional bean chili. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Taesha

      November 12, 2020 at 4:58 pm

      Yay! I am so glad you liked it as much as we do!

      Reply
  6. Claire

    December 31, 2020 at 2:02 am

    Absolutely delicious!! HUGE hit with the fam.

    Reply
    • Taesha

      December 31, 2020 at 4:56 pm

      I am so glad to hear that, Claire! We love this one too!

      Reply
  7. Karen F FitzGerald

    November 15, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    5 stars
    This was so good even my picky husband liked it. I will defiantly make again . I have to admit I was skeptical at first but wow it was good.

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      November 15, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      I love surprising people! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it so much!

      Reply
  8. Beverly

    February 21, 2022 at 5:21 pm

    Is this something you can make on a crock pot or on the stove as I don’t have an instant pot?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      February 22, 2022 at 12:04 pm

      Yes. I have included how to make it in the slow cooker in the “Suggested Adaptations” section of the blog post!

      Reply
  9. Rosemarie

    June 5, 2022 at 3:19 am

    Can you freeze this Paleo Pumpkin Chili?

    Reply
    • Taesha Butler

      June 5, 2022 at 11:50 am

      Yes! It freezes great

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Taesha! I help busy people fall in love with healthy eating with my simple, family-friendly, veggie-loaded recipes. I believe vegetables can and SHOULD be delicious. Here, let me show you how!

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